Golf club velocity enhancement

ABSTRACT

A golf club includes a club head that has one or more air passages extending from its front face to its rear face, so that when the club is swung in a ball-striking action air in the path of the club head is transferred from a pressurized zone on the head front face through the air passages into a low pressure wake area behind the club head. The air transfer action minimizes resistance to club movement, so as to contribute to a faster club head speed and a longer ball travel.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This Invention relates to golf clubs and particularly to an improved golf club head that will enable the golfer to swing the golf club so that the club head has a greater velocity (as compared with the velocity of a generally similar conventional golf club). The present invention relates to club head velocity enhancement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the attached drawings show a golf club having a club head of generally conventional construction (or shape). During a golf ball-striking event the club head is swung in an arc from a starting position in which the club head is above and slightly behind the golfer's head. The club head travels in an arc angularly downwardly and then in front of the golfer's upright body so as to come into forcible contact with a stationary golf ball located at or slightly above ground level.

The club head continues the arcuate movement to an elevated point away from the golfer's body, while the golf ball is propelled forwardly from the ball-striker face of the club head. The golf ball travel distance is generally proportional to the club head velocity at the moment when the club head makes contact with the ball; i.e. a higher club head velocity at the ball contact moment will generally produce a desirably longer ball travel.

One obstacle to a higher club head velocity is the air resistance or turbulence associated with arcuate travel of the club head from the starting (elevated) position to the ball contact position (at or near ground level). FIG. 1 of the attached drawings shows generally how the club head disturbs the air as it travels in a right-to-left direction. The airstream flow lines (with arrows) are relative to the club head, which is moving in an absolute sense, so that air in area 20 on the front face of the club is pressurized to force the air outwardly and then around the club head side surfaces. At some point (or plane) the air separates from the club head to form a low pressure wake area 24 behind the trailing surface 16 of the club head. In FIG. 1 of the drawings the air separation point (or plane) is designated by numeral 11.

The low pressure wake area exerts a suction effect on the club head, to reduce the club head velocity. At the same time the pressurized area 20 proximate to the front face 14 of the club head also has a retarding (or reducing) effect on the club head velocity. To sum up, the suction effect of suction wake area 24 and the pressurizing effect in area 20 are additive to provide a total air resistance contributing to an undesired loss of club head speed. The present invention concerns an air passage system designed to reduce the total air resistance that contributes to an undesired loss of club head speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention involves a golf club head having one or more air passages extending from the front face of the club head to the trailing face of the club head, so that during a ball-striking event some of the air in front of the club head is transferred through the passage(s) to the wake area behind the club head. This transfer of air partially reduces the air pressure in front of the club head while at the same time raising the air pressure in the low pressure wake area behind the club head. The net effect of this air transfer is to reduce the air resistance to club head movement, thereby promoting a faster club head speed and greater golf ball travel distance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional golf club head, showing the relative air flow pattern around the club head during a golf ball-striking event, i.e. while the golfer is swinging the golf club to drive the golf ball down the fairway.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the FIG. 1 golf club head, taken in a direction looking toward the club head front face 14.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a golf club head embodying the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the FIG. 3 golf club head.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the FIG. 3 golf club head, taken on line 5-5 in FIG. 3. A conventional golf ball is shown in phantom, in front of the club head.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view taken in the same direction as FIG. 3, but showing another form that the invention can take.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the FIG. 6 construction.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before describing the golf club of the present invention, it is believed that a better understanding of the invention can be realized by first describing the conventional prior art golf club, as shown, e.g., in FIGS. 1 and 2. The conventional golf club comprises a club head 10 attached to a conventional shaft 12. The club head has a ball-striker front face 14, a convex curvilinear rear face 16, and side surfaces 17 extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of front face 14 to merge smoothly with curvilinear rear face 16. As shown in FIG. 1, side surfaces 17 taper in a direction from the front face to the rear face, so as to promote (as much as possible) a smooth air flow relative to the club head. The flow is “relative” since the club head is moving in a right-to-left direction, while the air is essentially stagnant except for air that is momentarily displaced by passage of the club head. Numeral 22 generally designates the relative air stream components, particularly the displaced air stream elements.

Air in zone 20 proximate to the club head front face 14 is pressurized by the advancing club so as to offer some resistance to continued club head motion. Air in the path of the club head is displaced outwardly by pressurized air in zone 20 to points beyond the peripheral edges of front face 14, as indicated by numeral 22A. The displaced air than collapses back toward the club head side surfaces 17 to flow, as much as possible, along those surfaces. Numeral 22B designates the collapsing air.

At some point the air separates from side surfaces 17 to form a low pressure wake area 24 proximate to curvilinear rear face 16. Numeral 11 designates generally the imaginary separation plane, i.e. the point(s) where the boundary air layer on surfaces 17 can no longer control or hold the main air stream on the club surface. In actuality, the rear surface 16 of the club head is moving so fast in a right-to-left direction that the air cannot collapse toward the club head centerline 19 rapidly enough to keep pace with club head movement. Rear face 16 tends to produce a vacuum in wake area 24, thereby generating turbulence that prevents the collapsing air from attaching to surface 16.

It will be seen that resistance to club head motion in a right-to-left direction is provided by the pressurized air condition in zone 20 plus the low pressure suction condition in turbulent wake area 24. The result is an undesired loss of club head speed.

FIGS. 3 through 5 shows a club head of the present invention designed to reduce air resistance to club head movement. The club head is similar to the conventional club head depicted in FIG. 1 except that an air passage means is provided in the club head to transfer air from pressurized zone 20 to wake area 24. The effect is to reduce the pressure in zone 20 and simultaneously increase the air volume in wake area 24 (thereby reducing the suction effect on club rear face 16).

The air passage means comprises a first slot-shaped air passage 30 having an entrance opening proximate to upper edge 32 of the club front face 14 and a second slot-shaped air passage 30 having an entrance opening proximate to lower edge 34 of the club front face 14. Front face 14 can be defined by a metal place 28 having a relatively hard ball-striker surface (face). Each air passage 30 extends from front face 14 entirely through the club head body to form an exit opening 33 in curvilinear rear face 16. Motion of the club head in a right-to-left direction provides the motive force for transferring air from pressurized zone 20 through air passages 30 into depressurized wake area 24. The net effect is to reduce the air resistance to club head motion, thereby facilitating an increased (enhanced) velocity for a greater ball travel distance.

FIG. 5 shows, in phantom, a golf ball 36 in the path of the club head just prior to being stuck. Passages 30 are spaced apart by a distance that approximates the golf ball diameter. Face 14 of the club head has an optimal ball-strike point 18 (FIG. 4) that is designated by the golf club designer as the ball strike point that will produce the greatest ball travel distance for a given input force. Strike point 18 is located half way between the two air passages 30, such that when the ball is struck in the intended fashion the ball does not come into contact with either passage entrance opening. Each entrance opening is spaced from strike point 18 by a substantial distance that is approximately equal to the golf ball radius, such that the ball can contact face 14 above or below optimal strike point 18 without engaging either passage 30.

Each exit opening 33 is located in an area of curvilinear rear face 16 that communicates with wake area 24, so that air exiting each passage immediately raises the pressure in wake area 24, thereby reducing wake area turbulence and minimizing the suction effect on rear face 16.

FIGS. 6 through 8 show another form that the invention can take. In this case the air passage means comprises a series of separate circular cross-section air passages 30A and 30B, each spaced a substantial distance from optimal strike point 18. Passages 30A have entrance openings located near the upper edge of front face 14. Passages 30B have entrance openings located near the bottom edge of front face 14. As shown, each passage has a circular cross section. However other cross sectional shapes could be used, e.g. oval. Preferably the cross section should be “corner free” in order to avoid flow losses associated with such corners. Each passage 30A or 30B extends from face 14 through the club body to rear face 16, so that during a ball-striking motion air in the path of the club head is transferred from the pressurized zone 20 to the depressurized wake area 24. The net effect is to reduce air resistance and increase club head velocity (as more particularly described in connection with FIGS. 3 through 5).

As best shown in FIG. 8, each air passage is defined by a sleeve 39 formed separately from the club head body. Each sleeve is formed of a high strength material (e.g. titanium) so as to reinforce the club head against structural failure, e.g. splintering or deformation.

While specific forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that some variations and alternate designs can be used while still practicing the invention. 

1. In a golf club that comprises a three dimensional club head having a ball-striker front face, a curvilinear rear face, and side surfaces that taper in a direction from the front face to the rear face: the improvement comprising an air passage means extending from the ball-striker front face to the rear face, so that during a ball-striking event some of the air proximate to the front face flows through said air passage means into a wake area behind the rear face.
 2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said air passage means comprises at least one sleeve positioned in said club head to reinforce the club head against structural failure.
 3. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the club head front face has an upper edge and a lower edge; said air passage means comprising a first passage system receiving air from a front face area proximate to said upper edge, and a second passage system receiving air from a front face area proximate to said lower edge.
 4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein each said passage system comprises a slot-shaped air passage.
 5. The improvement of claim 3, wherein each said passage system comprises plural corner-free passages spaced along the club head front face.
 6. The improvement of claim 5, wherein each said corner-free passage is defined by a sleeve formed separately from the club head to reinforce the club head against structural failure.
 7. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said ball-striker front face has an imaginary center that constitutes the optimal ball-strike point; said air passage means comprising plural air passages spaced substantial distances from said optimal ball-strike point, whereby the air passages do not come into contact with a golf ball during a normal ball-striking event.
 8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein each said air passage is spaced from said optimal ball-strike point by a distance that is approximately equal to the radius of a conventional golf ball.
 9. The improvement of claim 8, wherein each said air passage is defined by a sleeve formed separately from the club head to reinforce the club head against structural failure. 